News Archive
Page 21 of 134 (1332 articles)
Updates from May 2023
Dear friends, I hope you all had a great month of April. At DefendDefenders, we concluded our multi-pronged engagement at the  52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC52), where we highlighted a number of concerning human rights situations for which we called the council’s continued focus and scrutiny. We particularly welcomed the Council’s decision […]
Human Rights Defender of the month: Godfrey Kagaayi
Born 33 years ago, in Bukoba, northern Tanzania, Godfrey Kagaayi did not have to look elsewhere for inspiration to tackle the daunting challenge of mental health. By his own admission, the family and community in which he was raised were fertile grounds for the same. His family had crossed the border into Uganda when he was barely 5 months, settling into present day Rakai district. But the Rakai of the 90s was a difficult place for a child to make their earliest memories: In 1990, Uganda’s first ever case of HIV/AIDs was reported in the district, setting off a decade of suffering and anguish for many of its residents. Taking advantage of the Rakai’s fishing and polygamous lifestyle, the novel virus spread like wildfire, killing people in droves and leaving untold heartache in its wake.
Eritrea: The UN Human Rights Council should adopt a strong resolution
In a letter released ahead of the UN Human Rights Council’s 53rd session (19 June-14 July 2023), 35 NGOs urge states to support the adoption of a resolution that extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea and highlight the need for a strong resolution that clearly spells out and condemns the ongoing human rights […]
The Human Rights Council breaks the international community’s deadlock on Sudan
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council took an important step today by adopting a resolution on the human rights impact of Sudan’s conflict. The Council met in a speÂcial (emerÂgency) session convened at the request of over 50 states, following a push by civil society. While this breaks the international deadlock on Sudan and […]
DefendDefenders’ and AfricanDefenders’ Statements at ACHPR75
Statement on the human rights situation in Africa DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project), Observer Status N0. 359 Honorable Chairperson, Distinguished commissioners, state delegates, ladies, and gentlemen On behalf of AfricanDefenders and DefendDefenders, we join the rest of Africa to commemorate 20 years anniversary of the Protocol to African Charter on […]
STATEMENT BY DEFENDDEFENDERS ON THE OCASSION OF WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
DefendDefenders joins journalists and press freedom advocates globally to mark World Press Freedom Day 2023. The theme for this year’s commemoration: “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights” is an important reminder about the centrality of a free press and the right to freedom of expression to […]
Bi-Annual Report (October-April 2023)
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Updates from April 2023
Dear friends, I hope you all had a great month of April. At DefendDefenders, we concluded our multi-pronged engagement at the  52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC52), where we highlighted a number of concerning human rights situations for which we called the council’s continued focus and scrutiny. We particularly welcomed the Council’s decision […]
Human Rights Defender of the month: Hiader Abdalla Abu Gaid
Hiader Abdalla Abu Gaid is one of the lucky survivors of Sudan’s latest conflict. He was born 36 years ago, in Almalha locality, North Darfur state, the third born in a family of 10. Then, Darfur was not the hot bed of war and conflict it has since become infamous for. Although the region, predominantly inhabited by Sudan’s black population remained segregated by the predominantly Arab government in Khartoum, its people co-existed in thriving, predominantly subsistence communities. In Almalha, people reared camels and cattle, while others tended crops. The community was also famed for its hospitality to strangers, welcoming outsiders who ended up staying, owning land, and intermarrying with their hosts.
Sudan: Urgently convene a special session of the Human Rights Council and establish an investigative mechanism
In a letter released today, over 90 Sudanese, African, and international non-governmental organisations urge states to address Sudan’s human rights crisis by supporting the convening of a special (emergency) session of the UN Human Rights Council. On 15 April 2023, violence erupted in Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a paramilitary group, the […]